A leading independent prep school in Somerset, offering excellence in education for 2-13 year olds
Mr Finch and Mr Sheldon were delighted to be in Sandy Park stadium last weekend to see OPH Charlie McCaig make his debut for Exeter Chiefs.
A product of the club’s successful Academy set-up, Charlie started playing rugby as a six-year-old at Sidmouth RFC.
The gifted young sportsman showed great talent while here at Perrott Hill, before eventually coming onto the radar of the Chiefs through their Developing Player Programme (DPP).
The coaches liked what they saw of Charlie, and using the club’s strong links with the University of Exeter, he continued his role with Chiefs with that of studying for a degree in Liberal Arts.
We are delighted to see the progress you are making Charlie. Keep up the great work – and stay in touch.
As we celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week, it’s essential to recognise that creating a happy, supportive, and nurturing environment for our children is something we prioritise all year round. While this week brings a variety of special activities, our commitment to mental health is woven into the fabric of school life.
One of the ways we promote this supportive atmosphere is through our ‘Circle of Care’, prominently displayed around the school. This ensures that every child knows there’s always someone they can turn to. The circle includes our school nurse, who also offers one-to-one nurture sessions. Using creative techniques such as music, art, games, and role play, she helps children to express themselves and work through any worries they may have.
These efforts are particularly crucial in light of the rise in mental health challenges among young people in recent years. According to a report from the Children’s Society, the number of children experiencing mental health issues has increased significantly, with 1 in 6 children aged 5 to 16 now having a diagnosable mental health condition. Post-pandemic, we’ve seen specific concerns such as anxiety, low self-esteem, and anger becoming more prevalent. This highlights the importance of early intervention and creating an environment where children feel safe and supported.
This week, we kicked off Children’s Mental Health Week with a special assembly led by our Heads of School, setting the tone for a series of mindfulness relaxation sessions, well-being drop-in sessions, and open discussions. These initiatives aim to further normalise conversations about mental health and ensure our pupils know they are not alone in their feelings.
In a world where mental health is an ever-growing concern, fostering an atmosphere where children feel valued, heard, and understood is essential not only for their happiness but for their future success. Happy children make for a happy, successful school, and we’re proud to be part of that journey.
You could have heard a pin drop when actor and writer Harry Hadden-Paton took a seat in our ‘famous orange chair’.
While the fire crackled away, the children cosied up to listen to an extract from ‘James and the Giant Peach’.
Thank you Harry for such a spell-binding reading of this classic tale. A fantastic way to launch this year’s Book Club meetings.
To find out more about how we inspire a love of reading and literature, why not book a visit.
Our Young Farmers Club is an extra-curricular activity which gives children a chance to learn about agriculture from local farmers.
One week’s activity involved a visit to Perrott Hill park Farm to help a neighbouring farmer feed his suckler beef herd. Another trip was to Pen Hill Farm in Pendomer so the children could learn about regenerative farming and diversification. Our favourite sheep, Nutella and Toast, also paid another visit to school this term to give the team a fascinating insight into sheep farming.
The children love this activity – and are always prepared to get their hands dirty as they explore what it takes to get our food from farm to fork.
Congratulations to Thalia, who triumphed over stiff competition to win our 2025 Year 7 Public Speaking Competition.
This annual event, which aims to enhance both writing and speaking skills, begins with each Year 7 pupil selecting a charity. They then conduct independent research and write a persuasive piece, which they present to their peers. The pupils vote to determine the winner.
The finalists then compete in front of an external judge for the opportunity to have their chosen charity supported by the school.
This year, the competition was judged by Miss Harriet Cant, Head of English at Sherborne. Thalia claimed first prize for her powerful speech on WWF, the leading global environmental charity.
It’s proving a busy season for our County hockey players James and Will who have been representing Somerset in regional matches in the U14 and U13 age groups respectively.
Both gained selection through last Summer’s trials and are thoroughly enjoying the challenge of playing high level hockey.
We warmly invite musicians and artists of all ages to join us on Saturday 8th March for a creative morning of celebration.
A pop-up, community orchestra will enjoy the brilliance of Bizet by playing four movements from L’Arlésienne Suite with pieces specially arranged to suit any orchestral musicians from Grade 2 standard upwards.
There is also an art workshop open to any children in Years 4 to 6 (from local schools) who are interested in creatively exploring the talents of Van Gogh.
The event starts at 8.40am, is completely free of charge and to round off the morning, there will be a concert for family and friends at 1215 in our Theatre.
Places are limited so register here to join the orchestra, and receive a link to the sheet music and mp3 music files. If you have any queries, please contact our Director of Music Mr Julian Shortman at jshortman@perrotthill.com
To join the Art workshop, please email our Head of Art Mr Palmer at tpalmer@perrotthill.com
We look forward to welcoming you to Perrott Hill.
We are absolutely delighted to announce that three of our pupils reached the final of a Creative Writing Competition that was judged by Academy and Emmy Award winner Lord Julian Fellowes.
The challenge was to write a story that started with the sentence “I cannot believe I left the door open” and was judged on originality, imagination, spelling and grammar.
Tessa, Harry and Rose attended an event in Dorchester on Thursday 9 January, hosted by Lord and Lady Fellowes where the final winners were announced.
Rose was one of four prize winners on the day. She received a Highly Commended Award and her thrilling murder mystery story was read out at the ceremony by Julian Fellowes himself.
As Head of English Mrs Byrne said, “We are delighted to see the talent of three of our pupils recognised in this competition.”
“The ability to write for pleasure in an engaging way is a wonderful life skill, and one we actively develop here at Perrott Hill.”
The DOMVS Story House Writing Competition is an annual event for pupils aged 5-12 that encourages young minds to explore their imagination, sharpen their writing skills and be recognised among some of the area’s brightest talent.
We are pleased to announce that Emma in Year 8 has won an art scholarship to Shebbear College, Devon in recognition of her talent and potential.
Emma arrived at Perrott Hill in Year 6 having not done much art before, but her innate ability was quickly recognised.
“Emma has developed her creativity through a wide range of media, and everything she does in under-pinned by beautiful draftsmanship,” said Head of Art Mrs Palmer.
“She can connect to and recreate any subject, whether that be nature, portraits, still life etc, and at the same time she is also able to create content from her own imagination. It is quite unusual at this age, to be able to do both.
“Her most recent independent study was outstanding. She researched the history of dogs, and how they are depicted in different cultures, and incorporated her own dogs in her final pieces.
“We wish Emma continued success in the future.”
Congratulations to Gabriel in Year 7 who has been awarded a place in the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain.
This prestigious choir brings children aged 9 to 19 together, from across the country to make music under the tutelage of top choral professionals. To qualify, Gabriel went through a rigorous audition process which involved performing a solo piece as well as completing sight reading and rhythm tests.
“While it is no surprise to me that Gabriel has been selected,” said Director of Music Mr Shortman, “I am delighted to see his musical talent and hard work recognised.”
“He sings with confidence and makes a very welcome contribution to music at Perrott Hill.”
